There is an increasing trend in the number of people becoming interested in amateur prospecting, treasuring hunting, metal detecting, amateur geology, and amateur archaeology. A metal detector may be used to pursue these various activities by identifying metallic objects arranged within the surface of the earth. In many instances, these activities may take place in beach sand. During these “beachcombing” operations, a user walks along a beach carrying a metal detector. A distal end of the metal detector includes a sensor coil. A proximal end includes a grip and/or arm support with control electronics, a power source and an indicator means. The indicator means alerts the user when the sensor coil passes across or in near proximity to a metallic object.
The inventor, Mr. Charles A. Boll, has attempted, through trial and error, to arrive at a suitable apparatus which could be used both for digging, scooping and for sifting metallic objects from sand and other dirt taken from the earth. Thus, the device is known as a digger sifter with ergonomic handle. The prior art fails to satisfy the inventor's needs and possesses numerous disadvantages over the present invention. Typically, the prior art devices cannot be easily carried or suspended in a hand-free manner on the user when not in use. Many prior art devices require two-handed operations when scooping and sifting for hidden or lost items. Moreover, many cannot be used when standing upright to dig and sift to prevent a user's back and/or knees from becoming sore from bending over excessively during metal detecting operations. Otherwise, they do not comprise an ergonomic handle as claimed in the present invention. Still others require a user to step on a rear of the device or the metal detector and scoop are included as a single heavy device requiring all its weight to be carried on a single arm of the user. For example, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,281 to Montelione.
Prior devices in the sifting field are exemplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,976,564 to Holder; U.S. Pat. No. 645,956 to Hyrons; U.S. Pat. No. 657,508 to W. W. Brown; U.S. Pat. No. 681,608 to O. P. Baughman; U.S. Pat. No. 2,005,416 to J. H. Fisher; U.S. Pat. No. 4,983,281 to Montelione; U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,623 to Flanagan; U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,686 to Wherry; U.S. Des. Pat. No. 339,966 to Burnett; and.